1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to vehicle heating devices, and more particularly pertains to a vehicle heating device which may be easily transported for use in a variety of different vehicles. In cold climate regions, vehicles parked outside and in unheated garages naturally become quite cold. The vehicle interior become so cold as to be uncomfortable for a vehicle occupant to enter. Additionally, the vehicle windows and windshield frequently become covered with a layer of frost or ice. This requires an individual to tediously scrape the accumulated ice from the windshield prior to use of the vehicle. In order to overcome this problem, the present invention provides a portable, battery operated vehicle interior heating device which includes a timer allowing activation immediately prior to intended vehicle use.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Various types of vehicle heating devices are known in the prior art. A typical example of such a vehicle heating device is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,102,418, which issued to B. Kirsch on Dec. 14, 1937. This patent discloses a pair of electric fans pivotally mounted by a bracket on a steering column of a vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 2,121,753, which issued to E. Cornell, Jr. on June 21, 1938, discloses a vehicle window defrosting device having an elongated vent conduit provided with a plurality of spaced vent apertures and secured to a vehicle windshield interior surface by suction cups. An electric blower assembly is operative to force air through the vent conduit. U.S. Pat. No. 2,415,740, which issued to J. Gammack on Feb. 11, 1947, discloses a vehicle window defroster having a flexible vent conduit connected to an outlet nozzle adapted for securement to an interior window surface by a suction cup. U.S. Pat. No. 3,745,906, which issued to J. Kakei et al on July 17, 1973, discloses a defroster for defrosting a windshield of a motor vehicle. The defroster has a nozzle having a generally rectangular laterally elongated cross section which is gradually enlarged towards an outlet opening formed at the foremost end of the nozzle. A hot fluid jet is passed through this defroster nozzle and is sprayed onto the windshield through the outlet opening. The path of the fluid jet issuing from the defroster nozzle is periodically switched from one side of the defroster nozzle to the other such that the fluid jet is caused to move from side to side. U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,246, which issued to G. Trumbull on Aug. 8, 1978, discloses a vehicle windshield defroster for attachment to a vehicle dashboard. The device consists of a rectangular panel pivotally movable between positions approximately parallel to the top of the dashboard and to the windshield for functioning as a glare shield in a defroster air deflector.
While the above mentioned devices are directed to vehicle heating and defrosting devices, none of these devices disclose a portable vehicle interior heating and defrosting device which includes a rechargeable battery and a timer for heating a vehicle interior and defrosting vehicle windows at a predetermined time, immediately prior to vehicle use. Inasmuch as the art is relatively crowded with respect to these various types of vehicle heating devices, it can be appreciated that there is a continuing need for and interest in improvements to such vehicle heating devices, and in this respect, the present invention addresses this need and interest.